10/21/2011
In Portland, Oregon, there are about 300,000 acres of forest with dead trees, particularly in the counties of Klamath and Lake, which have gotten through a fire season without any problem. The dead trees were infested by pine bark beetles.
Although the weather that prevailed in the southern part of Oregon is cooler and wetter, foresters say that there is still a long-term danger that confronts them since there is a possibility that fire will be sweeping through the dead trees.
Various industry groups were said to be pressing state officials in order for more trees to be removed from the area. Industry groups have already implored Gov. John Kitzhaber and the Oregon Board of Forestry.
The industry said that the said infestation could have been prevented, and the timber could have been salvaged. However, at present, the timber in the area is already useless. On the other hand, private owners of timber fear that a huge fire that could come from federal land might affect their holdings.
According to Associated Oregon Loggers’ Vice President Jim Geisinger, “That situation down there is just a tinderbox waiting to explode.” On the other side of the fence however, environmentalists say that nature must take its course. And, according to Oregon Wild’s spokesman Sean Stevens, “The public looks at it and gasps, but in 50 years there will be a new lodge pole forest growing up in its place.”
According to the deputy supervisor in Fremont-Winema National Forest, Rick Newton, they are very concerned about the problem. He further added that it is hard to witness a beetle epidemic move across a particular area.
